Cofek files suit over digital broadcast switch
The Nairobi region is expected to switch from analogue to digital broadcast by December 31, 2012.
A consumers' group in Kenya has filed a suit seeking to block the government from switching Nairobi from analogue television transmission to digital transmission.
The Consumer Federation of Kenya (Cofek) wants the Information ministry and the Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK) to be compelled to delay the migration until the global deadline of 2015.
The suit follows the ministry’s notice that it will switch all televisions in Nairobi that currently broadcast using the analogue system to the digital system by December 31.
“This notice is too short and inappropriate considering the festive season, school reopening calendar, economic challenges facing Kenyans, constitutional implementation process and next year’s general election,” the group says in its suit.
“The respondents’ move is unreasonable and expensive to consumers most of whom do not have sufficient funds to purchase the required set-top boxes to shift to digital television.”
The High Court in Nairobi certified the suit as urgent and directed the consumers’ lobby group to serve the respondents for hearing on Monday.
In order to receive the digital television signals using their current analogue television sets, viewers require the set-top boxes, which are available in Kenya at the cost of between Sh2,000 and Sh5,000.
Although the global deadline is 2015, Kenya has a self-imposed deadline of 2013. The country plans to effect the change in Nairobi first before the rest of the country.
